Major Herbert Ralston Swing, Jr. died Sunday July 9, 2017 in Colorado Springs from natural causes. He was born on March 8, 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Herbert Ralston Swing, Sr. and Selma Savina Ehlers. They had two other children, Charles Daniel Swing, and Sara (Sally) Swing.
When he was sixteen he was a lifeguard at a Boy Scout camp near Valley Forge. He volunteered for the Army at seventeen was in basic training at Fort Carson, Colorado, 83rd Infantry, 331st regiment, Company K. At eighteen, after fighting his way across France, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. On the east side of the Elbe river, in April 1945, he was wounded and received a Purple Heart.
Herbert married Marie Joan Hynes on June 6, 1952 in Lansing, Michigan.
Herbert earned a Bachelors of Science from Michigan State University and a Masters degree from the University of Chicago. He joined the United States Air Force as an officer and retired in 1971.
Herbert will be remembered for his willingness to volunteer his time and energy to School District 20, Meals-on-Wheels, and the Pikes Peak Marathon. Herbert will be remembered by the USAFA Cadets, that found encouragement with our family.
Family that bid Herbert to join them are his parents, Herbert and Selma; brother, Daniel; wife, Joan; and daughter-in-law, Cathleen. He is survived by his family: daughter, Sandra; son, Michael; sister, Sara Lynette (Swing) Farrell; companion of twenty years, Sally Wilson, her daughters Suzi, Julie, Nancy, and their children. He also is survived by six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at VFW Post 4051, 430 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.